Darkness & Contact
by DR. COFFIN
Summary: Two short stories. First, what is Warren's worst mightmare? The second, set during the movie, has Layla make a hasty request of Warren with unexpected results. Fellow fans of WarrenLayla may find it interesting.


The following are a couple of little scenes I thought might be interesting. While the first one would be better for the sequel, the second one is something I would have loved to have seen in Sky High. Enjoy.

**DARKNESS**

Warren didn't know where he was or how he got there.

The sky was overcast with heavy lead colored clouds that did not look to hold rain. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and errant cinders.

Everywhere around him the ground was charred, with only bare rock showing in places.

Warren looked around, but since there was no variation in the landscape in any direction, he simply chose one and began walking.

After a while he noticed he was sweating. It was unusual as his powers made him immune to heat and flame, so it must have been from the exertion of the constant walking. His legs were beginning to ache and his breathing seemed to be getting harder.

Then he tripped and fell. The pain shocked his body as he hit the solid rock, stirring up a cloud of ash that choked him and brought tears to his eyes. He coughed and cleared his throat, then looked to see what he had tripped over.

Sticking out of the ashes was a charred metal object. Warren reached and pulled it out, sending ashes and cinders adrift. He held it in his hands and it took him a moment to realize what it was after wiping away some of the dust.

It was a helmet. It was the war helm of Baron Battle. It was his father's helmet.

Warren looked at it, both puzzled and afraid. Why was THIS here? How long had it been here? Where was "here" anyway?

Warren looked up and saw something else. There was a strange mound ahead of him; he walked over to it to and saw that it was a body. In horror he wiped away ashes from the face and looked at the charred features of the Commander. Bile rose in his throat, then he looked out across the land.

There were more bodies. He ran from one to another, his horror growing as he recognized the remains; the Commander's wife Jetstream…Coach Boomer…Principal Powers…other teachers at Sky High were littered everywhere, all badly burned.

Beyond them there were more…so many more. He saw kids from Sky High everywhere.

"No…" he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes, "please God, no…"

He ran frantically from one body to the next, seeing who it was. He knew them. He knew ALL of them.

Then he found them.

Huddled in a small group were five forms he was too scared to try to look at, but he couldn't stop himself. He saw Ethan, his glasses broken and melted as they lay in the ash. There was Zach; his bright glow forever extinguished, alongside Magenta, her features frozen in pain and fear.

Then he looked upon the last two, who were holding each other for protection and comfort as they were struck down. There was Will, his back having been charred as he tried to protect the one he was holding.

It was Layla.

Warren threw back his head and screamed his grief to the dark, uncaring sky until the sound echoed across the wasteland.

WHO DID THIS!

Warren looked down to see he was still holding his father's helmet. Apparently he had been the first and hardest hit of the victims, for there was nothing left of him. He then felt a presence behind him.

Warren whirled around and found he was facing a cloaked figure with a black hood pulled over its face. It was standing there, staring at him.

"You," said Warren, glaring at the figure, "did you do this? Did you kill everyone?"

No.

"Then who did? TELL ME!"

The figure drew back its hood.

It was Warren, though there was something horribly wrong with him. His eyes were completely red, with no irises or pupils, only glowing crimson orbs. A vicious scar matching that of his father ran down the side of his face from the corner of his eye to the jaw. He grinned like a hungry wolf.

YOU DID.

Warren awoke screaming and flailing. He looked around and saw that he was in his small bedroom. His body was covered with sweat, and his breath came in jagged gasps, just as in the dream. He suddenly noticed that his hands were giving off licks of flames, and he calmed down long enough to douse them.

He went over to the window and threw it open so that the night breeze from the waterfront blew in, instantly cooling the sweat that dripped down from his long dark hair, off his naked chest and broad shoulders. He breathed in the scents of the night, drawing in each breath as if it were his last, holding it in then releasing it. It was a technique he had developed over the years to help him deal with the night terrors that had haunted him for years.

But this one was different. This one was new.

Always it had been his father standing over the broken bodies of his own one-time friends, his eyes wild and mad.

Now he had seen himself.

A chill ran through Warren. Why had this happened? He would not harm these people.

He had tried to hurt Will.

He had nearly hurt Layla, Zach, Magenta and Ethan.

Again he looked down and saw the flames dancing about his hands. Again he willed them out. He returned to his bed, and grabbed his lifeline.

It was a teddy bear. A very old, very care worn and slightly singed one that Warren had kept with him ever since the day he had lost his father and nearly his mother. He clutched it to his chest as he sat cross-legged on his bed, slowly swaying in the moonlight as he waited for the sun to rise.

What would all the kids at Sky High think if they knew that Warren Peace, the toughest, most feared one, kept a teddy bear? He didn't know and he didn't care.

He had other things to be afraid of.

He glanced at himself in the bedroom mirror.

For an instant, just one instant…

The reflection had glowing red eyes.

CONTACT 

Layla looked over, and saw Will standing there talking with that skinny…with Gwen.

Layla stopped in her tracks and turned to Warren, who had been walking with her as part of the show to get Will jealous.

"Kiss me," she said.

"What?" asked Warren, stunned by her request.

Layla glanced over and saw that Will was looking right at them.

"Kiss me," she fairly growled as she made eye contact with Warren.

"What are you…" started Warren.

"Oh for goodness…" said Layla, as she grabbed Warren by the lapels of his denim jacket and pulled herself up and to him, not easy considering how tall he was, and firmly kissed him on the lips.

Lightning struck from the contact.

Both of them felt like they were frozen in time, as electricity seemed to charge through them. The rest of the entire world was gone. There was nothing but each other.

Two of the four elements of existence had made contact with each other.

He was fire, bringer of light and heat, source of protection yet also destruction if not treated with respect.

She was earth, giver of life in all its forms, but capable of terrible wrath if balance was not maintained.

A brief shudder passed between the two of them as if their heartbeats had synchronized with each other.

She felt the heat of his lips against hers, the passion that burned within him for every aspect of his life. His wrath was terrible and all consuming, but his joy could light up the entire world like the sun. He tasted almost like smoky cinnamon and pepper.

He felt the coolness of her moist, full lips, the deep serenity and compassion of the Great Mother who brought nurturing, comfort and love to all those who but asked for it. She tasted like wild berries and something…more exotic.

While they were lost in each other, the very land around them changed.

Flames burst from Warren's hands at his sides and also shot up the length of his spine to encircle the crown of his head in a halo of fire. The heat waves radiating off his back bent the light into a fantastic, almost rainbow like pattern that singed anything it touched.

Every plant around Layla suddenly sprang into full life despite it being early fall. Flowers bloomed in a kaleidoscope of colors and scents, blossoms and new leaves burst from the trees, and the grass reached knee height in an instant.

Everyone who had been nearby stopped whatever they were doing, stunned as they watched what was happening. Amongst them was Will, who felt his heart drop into his feet even as Gwen, standing behind him, was also surprised by the display of power. She secretly smiled as she noticed the effect if had on Will though.

As suddenly as it began, the powerful connection ended, and the two parted with a mutual gasp. Their breath came in short pants as they tried to calm down, but their hearts continued to pound in their ears.

"God, she's beautiful," thought Warren as he looked into Layla' deep green eyes as if he had just seen her for the first time.

"He's…magnificent," thought Layla, looking into Warren's eyes and noticing that the pupils were tiny balls of flickering flame.

"Is…is he still watching?" Warren whispered.

"Who?" gasped Layla, all her thoughts on this terrible, beautiful young god.

"I…have no idea." Warren answered truthfully, his mind drowning in the image of this earthly angel.

They then noticed that the air was thick with the scents of dozens of different types of flowers, and something else.

Layla caught a faint smell, like something she could not put her finger on. It was far from unpleasant, almost a smoky musk. She inhaled deeply and realized that it was Warren.

"What's that cologne you're wearing?" she whispered.

"I'm…I'm not wearing any," Warren breathed as he did not blink to maintain eye contact with her.

"Oh God," she gasped, "was THAT the wrong answer."

She again pulled herself into Warren, and he also rushed forward, the flames on his hands dying but those composing his crown remained as his powerful arms encircled her waist, lifting her. They hungered for each other like nothing ever before.

Their lips met again.

The old adage was proven false.

Lightning did strike twice in the same place.


End file.
